Punching-machine.



W. A. CORNBROOKS.

PUNCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3. 1915.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

W. A. CORNBROOKS.

PUNCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a. 1915.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

| j &

Katya,

W. A. CORNBROOKS.

PUNCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3.1915- 1,150,851. Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (IO-,WASHINOTON. D. c.

WILLIAM A. CORNBROOKS, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO V ILLIAMS, WHITE & COMPANY, OF MOLINE-,,ILLI1 TOIS, A GQRTEORA'EION OF ILLINOIS.

PUNCI-IING- MACHINE.

To all wizom it may concern Be it known that l, lViLLIAM A. CORN- nnoons,- a citizen of the lnited States, and a resident of Moline,.in the county of Rock Island and. State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Punching-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

In the construction of cylindrical metal structures such, for example, as large tanks and stacks, it is necessary to form the same of a plurality of annular sections, each such section being composed of a plurality of heavy plates properly curved and riveted end to end. These annular sections tele scope one within another sufficiently far to permit of their being riveted together, and consequently each section is constructed slightly larger in diameter at one end than at the other. This makes it necessary that the rivet holes along the edge of the larger end shall be spaced very slightly farther apart than at the other end, in order that they may properly register with the rivet holes in the smaller end of'the next-adjacent section. The rivet holes are, of course, always punched along the edges of the plates before leaving the mill, and as heretofore performed, this punching operation has been a comparatively slow. tedious and expensive one. due to the fact that each plate has re- (guired four separate settings and handlings in order to punch the two end rows and two side rows of rivet holes,the spacing-devices that regulate the distance between the holes that will be formed as. the plate is moved intermittently through the punching machine having to be very carefully and finely adjusted after punching the holes along one side edge of the plate before the punching of holes at the opposite side is commenced, in order that there may be produced the required difference in spacing between the holes along one edge and those.

along the opposite edge.

The leading object of my invention is to p ovide a plate-punching machine with means that while permitting the simultanee-us punching of the rows of holes along the opposite side margins of a plate, will also cause a s'ght relative movement, after everv punching operation, between the plate being punched and one of the punching mechanisms, such slight movement be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24;, 1915.

1915. SBI'ifiINO-lllflfli.

ing in addition, to the regular intermittent movement of the platethrough the machine, which slight additional relative movement will result in the holes of one of such rows being; difiierently spaced apart, than are the holes in-the other, row.

It is also on'e'of the objects of the inven,- tion. to. so construct and arrangethe punch.- ing; devicesas to .avoid the necessity of. more than one handling and. setting of a plate in the machine,

I accomplish these objects by the devices and combinations of devices shown in, the drawings and hereinafter described.

That which I believe to be new will be pointed out in the claims.-

In the; drawings,Figure 1 isa front elevation of. a punching machine with my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an. enlarged detail, being a vertical section taken at line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section through the upper and lower bolsters that carry the punch ing means and dies therefor, respectively, showing applied to. such bolsters a plurality of punching members and dies adapted to punch at each operation a plurality of holes longitudinally of a plate instead of a single hole as:in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 Fig. 5 is an end view of the parts shown. in Fig. 4-; Fig. 6 is a. modification, being a side elevation of manually-operated means for moving the punching mechanism, which may be substituted for the automatic means for the same purpose shown in Figs. 1 andQ; Fig. 7. is a front view of the parts shown in Fig. 6'; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the lower or die-carrying bolster, and showing, also, a portion of the mechanism for moving the bolster; Fig. 9 is a plan view of a portion of a plate showing the holes as punched therein by the punching means of Figs. 1 and 3; and Fig. 10 is a similar view showing on a plate the holes as formed when the multiple punching means of Fig. l are employed to punch the longitudinal rows of holes.

In the several figures of the drawings, in which corresponding parts are indicated by like reference characters15, 16 and 17 indicate, respectively, the side bars, the top crossbar and the lower cross-bar that together constitute the supporting framework of a well-known type of punching-machine eilriiployed for punching heavy plates and the li e.

18 indicates the operating shaft, suitably journaled in the framework of the machine and driven and controlled by any suitable means, not necessary to here describe.

19 indicates a rain that is movable up and down in guides on the side bars 15 of the frame, the reciprocation of such ram being effected through eccentrics on the shaft 18 with which are connected. pitmen 20 pivoted at their lower ends to the ram.

21 indicates a cylinder mounted on the top cross-bar 16 of the frame, in which cylinder works an air-cushioned piston, to the stem of which are attached two connectingrods, one of which is shown in Fig. 1 and indicated by 22, said rods being connected to opposite sides of the ram 19,such devices forming an ordinary pneumatic counterbalance.

The parts so far mentioned are of wellknown construction, and need no further detailed description.

23 and 2 1 indicate the upper and lower bolsters that carry, respectively, the punches and the dies that cooperate with such punches. Such bolsters are of ordinary construction, except that instead of being rigidly aiiixed to the under face of the ram 19 and the upper face of the usual table 25, respectively, they are so attached as to be movable horizontally with respect to such members 19 and 25, such movement being, in the construction shown, a swinging or turning movement on pivots 26 and 27 ,the pivot 26 being on the upper face of the bolster 23 and entering a suitable opening in the lower face of the ram 19 and the pivot 27 depending from the bolster 24: and entering an opening in the table 2-4 (see Fig. 1). The two pivots are in alinement and are located, in the construction shown, near one end of the bolsters and directly beneath the punching means, hereinafter described, that forms one of the longitudinally-extending rows of holes in a plate.

In order to permit the required swing of the bolsters on their respective pivots, the securing-bolts employed for attaching the bolsters to the ram and table, respectively, pass through suitable slots. Such construction is clearly shown in Fig. 3,the bolts f r securing the upper bolster to the ram being indicated by 28 and the slots by 29, such slots being formed in the wide head 30 extending at both sides of the web or bodyportion of the ram 19.

31 indicates the securing-bolts for the lower bolster, and the slots referred to through which they pass are formed in such bolster and are indicated by 32.

33 indicates pilot-pins affixed to one of the bolsters,the upper one in the construction shown,and movable in suitable openings in the other bolster. These pins 33 maintain the bolsters at all times in proper relative position so as to insure the punches and dies carried by them being always in alinement.

34 indicates a series of punch-holders which, as shown, are movably secured to the under face of the upper bolster by two rows tive position, but which may be withdrawn to render such punch inoperative, as is well understood. Such series of gags, in the arrangement shown, is effective with relation to all'of the punches 36 shown in Fig. 1,

except the two end punches, gags being omitted for those end punches for the reason hereinafter set forth. The front edge of each gag is provided with a vertical pin 38 see Fig. 3), that passes through an opening in a bar 39 extending transversely across the front of the machine, and such bar 39 is con nected to a rock-shaft 4L0 through links 4&1,

such links being made fast at their upper ends to the rock-shaft. The links should be somewhat loosely connected to the bar 39 in order not to impede the turning of the bolsters on their pivots.

a2 indicates bearings for the rock-shaft, such bearings being secured to the ram, and 13 indicates operating handles, one at each end of the rock-shaft.

13 indicates the dies, one for each punch, their holders 43 being secured in the usual manner to the upper face of the lower bolster 24:. Y v

The means for automatically effecting a slight turning movement of the bolsters on their pivots between successive punching operations comprises, in the construction shown, a train of gears arranged and operating as follows: On one end of the shaft 18 is secured a disk 44. having a tooth 4E5 suite ably secured in a hole in the periphery of the disk. A series of tooth-holding holes 46 is shown so that a plurality of teeth may be employed, if required. 47 indicatesa gear of the face-wheel type, with which the with a worm-gear 52 mounted on a short shaft 53 ]ournaled n an extension 54 of the bracket 60, said shaft 53 having secured to its outer end a pinion 55 that meshes with an idler-gear 56 that is journaled on an adjustable stud carried by an arm 57 that is adjustably mounted on the end of a bar or long bolt projecting from andsecured'to the ably j ournaled in a bracket (SO-'affiXd to the said frame memberlb. 61 indicatesasmall beveled gear-loose on the shaft 59butadapted tobe connected therewith through clutch-member'fiQ' that is slidingl-y securedon the shaft and adapted to be moved-into engagement with a -properly-shaped hub of said beveled gear 61.

ranged at right anglesto the-shaft 59 and suitably j ournaled in a bracket-651 0a said scribed, interposed between the shaft 1'8 {and the bolster 2% will cause but a very slight turning of the bolsters'on theirplvots, and such turning: wilt occur lnt'e'rmitt'ently' only,

" owing to the character of the engagementbet-ween the disk 44* and the face whee'l 47.

The extent of the turningof the bolsters mav be increased, of course. whererequired; by providing one or more additional teeth m in the holes of thedisk L35, o'r'variation in the speed of the driving'means may be efiected by substituting difieren t' sizes of spur-gears for som'e of thcseshown:

In operation, with" the machine provided with a single row of punches extending from side to side-of the machine; as clearly shown in Fig. 1, before. any punchingis shaft 64, turning such shaft to cause such shifting of the'bolsters by reason of the engagement of the worm 66' with the wormgear 6'? on the lower bolster. After the bolsters hav been thus shifted to bring-the punchesand dies into suchdiagona-l relation with a plate, the clutch 62' is to be again moved into clutching: engagement with the beveled gear 61 so that thereafter the train of gears will automatically act to very slightly move the bolsters between successiv punching operations. The row of punches and their dies being set as descri'bed,'the first descent of the ram will cause a row of holes to be punched in the plate adjacent to the leadingedge thereof, as clearly indicated by the transverse line of hole'sin the 63 indicates another beveled gearin mesh with the gear'fil said plate shown in Fig. 9. The plate there shown and in Figs. 1: andQ is'indicated by A. Upon the completion of the diagonal row of holes mentioned, the gags 37 that extend over the heads of all of the punches between the end ones are withdrawn, and thereafter all of such intermediate punches are inoperative during the punching of the rowsof holes along the sides of the plates.

The'holes in each of the side rows are success-ively punchedby the end punches-as the plate, attached to an ordinary spacing-carriage (not shown) by the usual grippers 68, isadvanced through the machine. As hereinbefore explained, when these plates are designed for use in the construction of an nular' structures, such asatanlls, stacks and the like, it is necessary that the holes on that end of a section of the structure that receives within it the smaller end of another similar section should be spaced slightly farther apart than are the holes in the smallerend of the enteringsection, in order tha-tthe two annular rows of holes may properly register for the reception of the securing rivets. By my improvements the different spacing of the two longitudinal rows of holes in a plate is thus accomplished. Assume that the holes of one row are tobe two inches apart and that to secure proper results inth'e way of registry of holes, when two curved" telescoping sections are to be riveted together, the holes in the other row should be, say, two and one sixty-fourth inches apart. The spacingcarriage that moves the plate will be caused to advance the-platejust two inches bet-ween successive punching operations, and the punching means comprising the punch that is in line withthebolster pivots will punch such holes two inches apart. The means for punching the other row of holes, comprising the punch near the opposite end of the bolster 23, will be advancedone sixty-fourth of an inch after each punching operation, due to the movement of the bolsters imparted by the train of gears, as here-inbefore described. Such gearing acts directly upon the lower or die-carrying bolster, but, as before eX- pla'ined, both bolsters necessarily turn in unisonby reason of their being connected together by the pilot-pins 33. By the time the punching of the holes has proceeded to a point midway of the length of the plate, the bolsters will have been gradually turned on their pivots sufliciently to bring them to a position where they extend directly across the plate-in other words, at right angles to the side edges of the plateand thereafter the diagonaljposition of the bolsters will be again assumed, but, as will be understood, in a reverse direction, and the angle will increase at each movement until the end of the plate is reached. When such end is reached, the gags that had-been withdrawn from over the heads of all the punches intermediate the end ones will be inserted.

comprises a plurality of punches at each end of the upper bolster. These punches, five in number in the construction illustrated, and

indicated by 36*, are supported in a holder.

34, being adjustably secured therein so as to be spaced apart as desired. The dies and die-holders in said Figs. 4 and 5 are indicated by 43 and 43, respectively. The

punch and die-holders extend transverselyof. the bolsters, and take the place, as stated, of the end punches and dies in the row shown in Fig. 1. With such modified construction the plurality of punches and the dies cooperating therewith will, at one end of the bolster, be spaced apart a certain distance'and at the other end will be spaced at a slightly different distance apart; for example, the punches at the pivoted end of the bolster may be set at two inches apart and those at the opposite end at two and one sixty-fourth inches apart. As in the construction hereinafter described, the bolsters for the first punching operation will be set diagonally and with the trans-.

verse row of punches covered by their gags, so that on the first punching stroke the required diagonal end row of holes will be formed, except the hole at each end. During this operation, the punches 36 will be rendered inoperative by the withdrawal of the gag 37 (see Fig. 5). The plate is then to be adjusted so as to bring the end punching means in proper position that upon the second punching operation one of the end holes punched by each of the said multiple punching means of Figs. 4t and 5 will form a continuation of the diagonal end row. On the start of such second punching operation, the gags 37 will, of course, be

drawn out and the gags 37 pushed in. Thereafter the holes punched along the side edges of the plate will be in blocks of five, as indicated on the representation of a portion of a plate in Fig. 1()the plate there being indicated by AC. After. each such punching operation, the gearing will be set in motion, as before described, and the bolsters given the required slight movement on their pivots which will insure the adjacent end holes of each block or set of holes being the same distance apart as are the holes of each block or set. By providing multiple punching means for forming the side rows of holes, the work can, of course, be carried on more rapidly than where a single punch is so employed, and in some work the employment of such multiple punchingmeans is very desirable.

Of course, the two side rows of holes are not absolutely parallel, owing to the pivoting of the bolsters as described, but on ac count of the length of the bolsters and the exceedingly. small arc described in their turning, the departure from exact parallelism'is so inconsiderable as to be negligible. If desired, however, the boltsers could be slidingly mounted instead of pivoted and both ends adjusted simultaneously and to the same extent, as all that would be necessary to accomplish that would be to extend the shaft 59 across the machine and duplicate the gears 61, 63, and 66, the latter meshing with a suitable worm-gear on that end of the bolster 24 that is now shown as pivoted.

In place of providing means for automatically adjusting the bolsters after each punching operation, manually-operated means may be employed; Such means are shown in Figs. 6 and 7 In this construction the diskt l on the shaft 18 and the face-wheel 47 and its shaft 48 and worm 51 are dispensed withall the balanceof the gearing being retained, and hence to such gearing the same reference numerals are applied. Substituted for the omitted parts are a horizontal shaft 70,'a worm 71 fixed thereon, and a hand-crank72, The

,worm 71 meshes with the, worm-gear 52.

Non-rotatably mounted on the shaft is a gage in the form of a disk 74:. As shown, it is provided with; an annular series of holes into any one of which a pin 73 loosely carried by thecrank 7 2 may be inserted. Turning the crank between successive punching operations will, through the gearing set in motion thereby, cause a movement of the boltsers just as described in connection with the automatic operation, and the degree of movement required can be determined and gaged by moving the crank to a position opposite any one of the series of holes in the gage disk, whereupon the crank will be locked by inserting the pin in such hole, and

at each succeeding operation the crank will I therefore wishit to be understood that the claims hereinafter made are to be construed generically, my invention not being restricted to the constructions particularly illustrated and described, except in so far as they are specifically claimed.

That which I claim .asmy invention, and desire-to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. A plate-punching machine, comprising, in combination, punching means arranged to psunchatwo series of holes, means for operating saidpunching means substantially in unison, the said holes being. formed-by successive punching operations, and means for causing theholes in one; series to be spaced difi'erently from .those in the other series.

2. A plate-punching machine, comprising, in combination, a movable support for the plate to be punched, punching .means ar ranged'to punch two series of holes, means for operating said punchingmeans substantially in unison, the said holes being formed by successive operations, and means for causing the holes in one series to be spaced differently 1 from those in' .the other series.

3. .A plate-punching. machine, comprising, in combination, a support for the-plate to be punched, a plurality of punching means, means for actuating said punching vmeans substantially in unisonto form a plurality of series of holes in the plate, and means for moving one of said punching means between successive punching operations to causethe holes of-one series tobe differently spaced than are the holes in the other series.

it. In a punching machine adapted to punch two substantially parallel rows of'holes in a plate intermittently moved through the machine, the combination with two punching meansfor forming such holes and means for reciprocating the punches, of means for causing a slightrelative movement between one oi the punching means and the plate. between successive punching operations, in addition to that due to the regular forward movement of the plate, whereby the holes in one of said rows will be differently spaced than are the holes formed in the other row.

5. In a punching machine adapted to punch two substantially-parallel rows of holes in a plate being moved through the machine, the combination with two punching means for forming such holes, a movable support for the dies cooperating with the said punching means, and means for reciprocating the punches, of means for slightly moving one end of said die-support and one of the punching means between successive punching operations, whereby the holes in one of said rows will be diilerently spaced than are the holes in the other row.

6. In a punching machine adapted to punch two substantially-parallel rows of holes in a plate, the combination with two punches for forming such holes and means for reciproeating the punches, of means for slightly changing the position of one of the. punches after each punching-operation, whereby as the plate is moved forward beneath the punches theholes in one otthe rows will be .difi erently spaced'than in the other row.

7. In a punching machine [adapted to punch two substantially-parallel rows of holes in a plate, the combination with a plurality of punches for forming such holes and means for reciprocating thepunches,of meansfor automatically slightly moving one of the punches after each punching operation, whereby as theplate is moved forward beneath the punchesthe holes at one side of the plate will be differentlyspaced than at the other side.

8. In a punching machine adapted to simultaneously punch holes adjacentto each side margin of a plate, said machine having .a reciprocating ram, the combination of a pivoted bolster beneath the:ram and-movable therewith, -a plurality of punches carried by said bolster for forming'the said holes, and means for slightly turning said bolster on its pivot after eachp-unchi-ng operation, whereby astheplate is moved forward beneath the punches the holes; at one side of the plate will be dili'erently spaced than at the other side.

9. In a punching machine adapted to punch two substantially-parallel7rows of holes in a plate, saidmachinehaving a reciprocating head or ram, the combination of a bolster pivoted near one end beneath ,thesaidram and movable therewith,a; plurality of punching means carried bysaid bolster for forming the said holes, the pivotwofthe'bolster being located beneath one of saidrpunching means, and means for slightly turning the bolster onits pivot after each punching operation, whereby as thezplate is movedforward beneaththe punches theholes at one side of the plate will be .difierently spaced than at the other side.

10. In .a punching machine adapted to punch two substantially-parallel rows of holes in a plate, the said machine having a reciprocating ram .and a table, the combination of an upper and a: lower bolster pivoted respectively to said ram and. the table, means for connecting the bolsters together, punches and dies carried by said bolsters respectively for forming the said holes, and means for slightly turning said bolsters on their pivots after each punching operation, whereby as the plate is moved forward beneath the punches the holes at one side of the plate will be differently spaced than at the other side.

11. In a punching machine adapted to punch two substantially-pa-rallel rows of holes in a plate, the said machine having a reciprocating ram and a table, the combination of an upper and a lower bolster pivoted respectively to said ram and the table, means for connecting the bolsters together, punches and dies carried by said bolsters respectively for forming the said holes, and means for slightly turning said bolsters on their pivots after each punching operation, where-by as the plate is moved forward beneath the punches the holes at one side of the plate will be diiierently spaced than at the other side, said last-named means comprising a worm-gear on one of said bolsters and a worm cooperating therewith.

12. In a punching machine, the combination with reciprocating punching mechanism comprising a bolster extending transversely of the machine and punching means supported by the bolster, of means operative between successive punching operations for moving one end of the bolster in a line approximately parallel with the line of movement of the material being punched.

13. In a punching machine, the'combination with reciprocating punching mechanism comprising a bolster extending transversely of the machine and punching means supported by the bolster, of means operative between successive punching operations for slightly moving the bolster in aline approximately parallel with the line oil movement of the material being punched.

14. In a punching machine, the combination with reciprocating punching. mechanism comprising a bolster extending transversely of the machine and punching means supported on each end portion of the bolster, of means operative between successive punching operations for moving the bolster in a line approximately parallel with the line of movement of the material being punched.

15. In a punching machine comprising a ram and means for reciprocating the same, the combination of two punching means each adapted to punch a line of holes in a plate as the plate is moved beneath them, means for holding said punching means movably connected to said ram, and means for slightly changing the position of one of the punching means after each punching operation to cause the holes formed by said lastn'amed means to be differently spaced than are the holes formed by the other punching means.

16. In a punching machine, the combination of two punching means each adapted to punch a line of holes in a plate as the plate is moved beneath'them, a bolster for supporting said punching means, means for vertically reciprocating said bolster, and

punching operations, and means for driving said gearing, such movement being in a line approximately parallel with the line of movement of the material being punched.

18. In a punching machine, the combination of two punching means each adapted to punch a line of holes in a plate as'the plate is moved beneath them, a pivoted bolster for supporting said punching means, means for reciprocating said bolster and punching means, gearing connecting with sand bolster for turning it slightly on 1ts pivot between successive punching operations, and means for driving said gearing.

19. In a punching machine, the combination of two punching means each adapted to punch a line of holes in a plate as the plate is moved beneath them, a bolster for supporting said punching means, a ram for forcing down said bolster and punching means, a rotating shaft through which said ram is reciprocated, and gearing interposed between said shaft and bolster form'oving said bolster slightly between successive punching operations.

VVILLIA'M A. CORNBROOKS. Witnesses:

HARRY Amswon'rn, C. R. RosBoRoUeH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

